ASU Prof Wins National Best Book Award

October 05, 2011

A book written by Dr. Robert Ehlers Jr., director of Angelo State University’s Center for Security Studies and head of the Department of Security Studies, has been selected for the 2010 Best Air Power History Book Award by the U.S. Air Force Historical Foundation (AFHF).

Ehlers’ book, titled “Targeting the Third Reich: Air Intelligence and the Allied Bombing Campaigns,” was published by University Press of Kansas as part of its Modern War Studies series. It gives a balanced account of the role air intelligence played in not only the allied bombing campaigns, but also ground force operations against Nazi Germany in World War II.

The Best Air Power History Book Award is given annually by the AFHF to the author of the best book on an air power topic of historical interest from the preceding calendar year. An independent panel of judges selects the winning book from nearly 150 works reviewed each year in the AFHF’s journal, Air Power History. Ehlers will receive his award, consisting of an engraved plaque, a letter from the AFHF president and a one-year membership in the foundation, during the AFHF’s 2011 Symposium Nov. 17-18 at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

A review of Ehlers’ book in the Journal of Military History called it “an excellent book on a crucial but overlooked subject.” The U.S. Army’s senior professional journal, Parameters, stated, “Students of airpower will find the discussion of the role and development of air intelligence fascinating.” For Ehlers, publishing the book and winning the AFHF award are the culmination of nearly a decade of work.

“I started research on the subject in 2002,” Ehlers said. “From there, I completed a dissertation on the topic and defended it in 2005 as the final step in earning my Ph.D. So, the book was eight years in development leading up to its publication in 2010.”

Copies of Ehlers’ book are available to check out from the ASU Porter Henderson Library. It can also be purchased through Amazon.com and several other online sources.

Founded in 1953, the AFHF serves all members of the U.S. Air Force, including active duty, Reserve, Air National Guard and civilian personnel, retirees and family members. The foundation’s goal is to make available to the public and government planners historical information on policies and actions related to air and space power. More information on the foundation can be found online at www.afhistoricalfoundation.org.